Simulating the ecological status of changed ecosystems by holistic applications of a new Stochastic-Dynamic Methodology (StDM). Chapter 4.
Data
2008
Autores
Título da revista
ISSN da revista
Título do Volume
Editora
Alonso M. S. and Rubio I. M. (Eds)
Resumo
A new Stochastic Dynamic Methodology (StDM) has been developed as a mechanistic understanding of the holistic ecological processes, by using appropriate statistical and dynamic modelling techniques. Our own recent research is based on the premise that the general statistical patterns of ecological phenomena are emergent indicia of complex ecological processes that do indeed reflect the operation of universal law-like mechanisms. This is the heart of the philosophy of the StDM, a sequential modelling process developed in order to predict the ecological status of changed ecosystems, taking into account stochastic/random phenomena that characterize the real ecological processes.
The context of StDM, as we use in this chapter, refers to the application or final use of management models in the scope of programs to measure and monitor ecological integrity. The chapter describes briefly the theory and procedures of StDM, including modelling fundamentals and background statistical methods. It provides a demonstration how StDM can be used to build simple models and will assist the reader and guide the reading process through the examples of holistic ecological applications. In fact, the StDM was successfully tested in several types of ecosystems, such as in changing traditional agricultural scenarios and in some of the environments commonly encountered in water-quality modelling: streams/watersheds, estuaries and reservoirs. In this context, the validation of the obtained simulation results are encouraging since they seem to demonstrate the StDM reliability in capturing the dynamics of the studied ecosystems by predicting the behavioural pattern for the key components selected under very complex and variable environmental scenarios.
In summary the ultimate objective of the chapter is encouraging the discussion about holistic methodologies from which management strategies can be designed to restore ecosystems functions and biological communities that have been damaged by anthropogenic disturbances.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Stochastic Dynamic Methodology , StDM , Simulating , Ecosystems
Citação
Cabral J. A. et al, 2008